Brave Margot [English translation]

Little Margot, the shepherdess

Finding a kitten in the grass -

A kitten who had just lost his mummy -

Adopted it.

She half-opened her collar

And lay it against her chest

It was all the poor thing had

For a pillow.

The cat, taking her for his mother

Started suckling straight away

Moved, Margot let him carry on

Good girl, Margot

A local fellow passing by

Finding this unusual scene

Went off to tell everyone

And the next day

When Margot undid her blouse

To give a little feed to her cat

All the lads, all the lads, from the village

Were standing there, there, there, there, there, there

Standing there, there, there, there, there

And Margot, who was simple, but a very good girl

Presumed that it was to see her cat

That all the lads, all the lads, from the village

Were standing there, there, there, there, there, there

Standing there, there, there, there, there

The schoolteacher and his pupils,

The mayor, the verger, the bartender,

All completely neglected their duties

To see the scene,

The postman, normally so deft,

To see the scene, delivered no more

Letters which no-one

Would have read anyway

To see the scene, God forgive them,

The altar boys ran out from church

in the middle of

the Holy Sacrifice,

The policemen, even they,

Blockheads that they are,

Let themselves be touched by the charm

Of the sight

When Margot undid her blouse

To give a little feed to her cat

All the lads, all the lads, from the village

Were standing there, there, there, there, there, there

Standing there, there, there, there, there

And Margot, who was simple, but a very good girl

Presumed that it was to see her cat

That all the lads, all the lads, from the village

Were standing there, there, there, there, there, there

Standing there, there, there, there, there

Even the other local women,

Deprived of their husbands and their beaux,

Accumulated rancour

Patiently

Then one day drunk with rage

They armed themselves with sticks

And wildly they burned

The little cat

The shepherdess, after crying her tears,

Took a husband as consolation

And never again revealed her charms

But for him

Time passed and the memory faded

The event was forgotten

Only the old folks still told

Their grandchildren

When Margot undid her blouse

To give a little feed to her cat

All the lads, all the lads, from the village

Were standing there, there, there, there, there, there

Standing there, there, there, there, there

And Margot, who was simple, but a very good girl

Presumed that it was to see her cat

That all the lads, all the lads, from the village

Were standing there, there, there, there, there, there

Standing there, there, there, there, there

• Artist:Georges Brassens